Learn blackjack basic strategy, free
Blackjack School teaches the best hit, stand, double and split decision for each hand. Eight short levels build up from adding a hand to the full chart. Each answer gets instant feedback with the correct move and a one-line reason, and hands you miss come back later.
It is a learning game. There is no money, no betting and no prizes. You earn stars for making the right decision.
Free game
Want a normal hand of blackjack? Play mode deals a full game against the dealer with hit, stand, double and split. It keeps a record of hands won, lost and pushed. A coach, which you can turn off, tells you after each move whether it matched basic strategy.
What you learn
- Add up any hand, including soft and hard aces.
- Hit or stand against each dealer card.
- When to double down.
- Which pairs to split and which never to.
- The full basic strategy chart for six decks, dealer stands on soft 17.
- Optional: keep a Hi-Lo running count as a memory drill.
The eight levels
- Card values and totals. Cards 2 to 10 count their number. Jack, Queen and King count 10.
- Hit or stand. You see one dealer card. The other is face down. The dealer stands on 17 or more, including soft 17.
- Soft hands. With an ace counted as 11, one more card cannot bust you. That makes soft hands safer to hit.
- Doubling down. Doubling down means you take exactly one more card, then your hand is done. It is only allowed on your first two cards.
- Splitting pairs. When your two cards match, you can split them into two separate hands.
- Full basic strategy. Everything together: hard, soft and pairs, in any order.
- Speed round. Same mix as level 6, now against a clock that shrinks from 9 seconds to 5 as the run goes on.
- Counting challenge. This one is optional. It is a memory and mental-maths drill, like keeping score in your head. It is not a way to win money.
Rules used
6 decks. Dealer stands on soft 17. Double on any first two cards. Double after split allowed. No surrender. Basic strategy changes a little with other rules, so the strategy in this game is for these rules only.
Daily set
Each day has ten hands, the same for everyone. Finish them, then share your result as a row of squares.
Questions
Is this gambling?
No. There is no money, no betting and no prizes. You are scored on whether your decision matches basic strategy.
Which rules does it use?
Six decks, the dealer stands on soft 17, you can double on any first two cards and double after a split, and there is no surrender. The chart changes a little with other rules.
What is basic strategy?
The best hit, stand, double or split decision for every hand against every dealer up card, worked out from how often each outcome happens. It is a fixed chart, so you can learn it.
Does it save my progress?
Yes, in this browser only. There is no account and nothing is sent to us.
What is the daily set?
Ten hands, the same for everyone on the same day. You get stars for how many you play correctly.
Why include counting?
Hi-Lo counting is a good memory and mental-maths exercise. Level 8 treats it that way and is optional.